Further spread of West Nile Virus: Five infections in horses and increased cases in birds : FLI Press release 03/2019

Insel Riems, 12. September 2019. From the beginning of July until mid-September 2019, the National Reference Laboratory for infections with West Nile virus (WNV) of the FLI confirmed five cases in horses with central nervous disorders in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt as well as 37 positive cases in birds, which have been found in the federal states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony. Although, in general, only a part of the infected horses show clinical symptoms, vaccination of horses in the currently affected regions is recommended due to the potentially severe clinical course of the disease. The Standing Committee on Vaccination in Veterinary Medicine (StIKo Vet) published a statement on this topic last year already. Futher cases of infection are expected to occur.